Yes, I'm brushing off the dust. If you've noticed, it's been nearly three months since I last posted in LJ. It may be a good thing or a bad thing, but who knows? Maybe I may have to move on.
Regardless, it feels so good to be back with all this free time on my hands (yes, I go back to school tomorrow).
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Anyway, to the main meat of the story.
PSDC was a roller coaster that went like this: it was confusion, fear, regret, confidence, bliss, worry and happiness rolled into one. There are so many things that took place in that one single week that the world seemed to just stop.
But at least I thought differently. And to think that line of thinking would thrust us at the forefront of both CDO and PSDC history: as first-time champions who never made it to the Top Ten. Haha.
And so, now I have to elaborate the thank-yous, salutations, apologies and other things that will make PSDC so great:
-Thanks Allan for being my partner. I've seen you grow, from your first debate as a freshman, to who you are now. Continue to make me (and the other alumni) proud when I leave for college. Go, debate kid, go!
-Thanks to all the institutions that made CSA's PSDC so lively and vibrant (that would be WR, SR, SSC, LSGH, MC, AC at Championship Dinner, ADNU, ADMU, BSM and MC)
-Thanks to Martin for swapping numbers and for...well...everything. IDeA 1 magic has made all the difference. (Yes, I have the Martin Qui's number. No, I will not disclose it out of respect for his privacy. Haha.)
-Thanks to Miro for sticking to her guns and helping us out, and especially for reviewing our case lines
-Thanks to Mark of LSGH for paying for my taxi ride home after Opening Dinner. I'll be sure to tell Jun Hee everything about PSDC. Be sure he watches your IDeA 2 rounds. :P
-Congratulations to Brian, Daryl and Mark Escay for bringing something home for La Salle (I told you you'd bring home the Anna Alano Cup). Daryl, please let the BSM issue go and forgive the moderator. All she needs is (very) heavy indoctrination in the intricacies of Philippine debate. Haha. You can do that. ;)
-Congratulations to the Best Speakers (yes, Philip, I may have beaten you, but you're still better than me in tabs. Haha.)
-Apologies to the adjudicators I mentioned in Public Speaking (I will NOT mention them here. You know who you are.)
-Thanks to the ADS for such a wonderful tournament, and especially to Kip for making the best motions I've had in four years (At least all that matter went somewhere)
And now, to the more CSA-specific things:
-To CSA A: Kei, I still wish the wedding did not happen on Saturday, but congrats to you and Rajiv for breaking higher than we did. However, your team pulling out had quite an impact. Thanks Rajiv for being our moral support, for sticking with us during prep time even if Allan and I drive you away, and for lending us the lucky pen that made all the difference (and is now CDO property). Likewise, congratulations for being 12th Best Speaker in the Philippines!
-To CSA C: Your team broke with the least amount of points (10), but it was a high 10, so it's good enough for me. Thanks Lance for bringing me home twice, and congrats to Braulio for being scary during Break Night. At least you embodied the Joker, as Brian captured the Batman's voice. Haha. You still have time to get to PSDC break, so believe!
-To CSA D: A middle-level 11-point team that went on valiantly. Karl, thanks for keeping me in line and for all the times you brought us to Treats from ADMU. Thanks Veronica for believing in me and Allan. However, as we (I especially) leave, please be more confident in what you can do. If you're holding yourself back, then you will never realize your full potential.
-To Dani, Nico and Sir Martin: Thanks for everything. You made all the difference in PSDC. We could have never done this without you guys.
This is the chapter that had knocked me back on my bearings and made me realize that I cannot retire from debate. Definitely not now, and maybe never, but this is the one thing that made me who I am.
It is the birthday gift I never thought I'd receive.
And now, I have to close this chapter, as I move on to the last months of my career in high school debate, and move on to the vast unknown.
I'll see everyone in IDeA 2!
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